


lovesick on a sunny afternoon

by markrenton



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, First Love, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-08
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-08-20 14:03:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16557152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/markrenton/pseuds/markrenton
Summary: Donghyuck has a question.“Chenle,” he starts, making Chenle raise his eyebrows but not turn his eyes to him. “Have you ever been in love?”“Why the fuck are you asking me that?”





	lovesick on a sunny afternoon

**Author's Note:**

> ooo. hi.
> 
> so i. love markhyuck and i promised my dear samson a markhyuck and HERE is it. wow. this is basically a testing the waters fic and i REALLY hope u guys enjoy it bc... i actually rly love how it came out ;;;; so thanks if u stick around to read it! mwah!  
> thank u katsu for EVERYTHING. as always!!!!!!!!!! and everyone else who had 2 listen to me talk about this!!  
> the title is taken from the song "mayfly" by belle and sebastian <3

Sometimes, when Donghyuck doesn’t have much of anything in particular on his mind, he pauses, tries to remember the exact moment he so miraculously figured out he’s in love with Mark Lee. There must be a specific moment attached to his life becoming a shit-show.

He never gets it. His memories are all in shambles, broken pieces of information leading to infatuation, but none are a direct connection to an Eureka moment. He has attempted this before, aggrieved with the notion of not knowing when, where, or how he’s ended up head over heels for a guy who once told him that _toothpaste is shampoo for the mouth._

Not that he hates being in love with Mark Lee.

He hates that Mark Lee has absolutely no idea.

In Mark’s defence, Donghyuck hasn’t given any signals, hasn’t given him any telltale smiles or glances (as far as he’s aware), so it’s not as if Mark’s just oblivious. Although Donghyuck remains certain that if he had, Mark would stare at him and say, _why are you looking at me like that?_ So he doesn’t.

Donghyuck might not know _when_ he fell in love with Mark, but he knows why. He could give a long list of reasons out of the top of his head, if someone were to ask him-  not that anyone would. But he could.  
  
Like, how when Mark starts laughing, he always ends up giggling in a high-pitched tone, with a hand covering his mouth, hiccupping and cackling. Or how his eyes go bug-wide when he’s paying someone his full attention. When he repeats what Donghyuck says, either for good measure or when he _can’t believe he just said that!_ When Donghyuck asks him for iced coffee, and he doesn’t need to mention he wants it sweet, because Mark already knows.

It’s the little things- miniscule things Mark does, that always prove and remind Donghyuck he’s screwed. Screwed being an understatement, when you’re in love with your best friend.

 

Tapping his pen on his open calculus book, Donghyuck peers over Chenle sitting at his desk. There’s a question on the tip of his tongue, and he’s never known patience.

“Chenle,” he starts, making Chenle raise his eyebrows but not turn his eyes to him. “Have you ever been in love?”  
  
“Why the fuck are you asking me that?” Chenle responds with a question, scribbling an equation in his notebook. Only when he’s finished, he shifts to look at back at Donghyuck, who pouts and rolls his eyes. Chenle might not be the right person for this conversation.  
  
“Just wondering.” There’s a buzzing silence in Chenle’s bedroom for a few seconds, but only Donghyuck can sense it. “You solved it yet?” He taunts, earning a death-stare casted from Chenle.

Truth is, Donghyuck has asked Mark this question countless times in his head. He’s also concocted a thousand various replies from him, such as _yes, maybe,_ and, _it’s you I’m in love with, Donghyuck-ah._ Being himself, he’s also made Mark reject him, in his own little fantasy world. Maybe as a test-run for real life.

 

-

 

The plain clock on the far wall of the classroom always ticks too loud when Donghyuck is trying to concentrate. Closing his eyes doesn’t help, because whenever he does he can see Mark waving him goodbye at the train station after they made their way home- Mark goes right, Donghyuck goes left, and every time Donghyuck turns around to see if Mark’s still in view he can see him walking backwards, frantically waving still. Donghyuck turns around at least three times everyday, knowing that by the fourth Mark would already have his earbuds in and his hands fake-drumming to the beat.

He just wants this class to end.

Donghyuck’s eyes begin fluttering shut.

 

“Donghyuck!” 

“He’s not waking up, I’m telling you. He never wakes up.”  
  
“Donghyuck-ah! Wake up!”  
  
“Let’s get some cold water from the teacher’s lounge and pour it on him.”  
  
“Chenle!”  
  
Head thumping, Donghyuck’s eyes start to flicker until they open. Once he lifts himself up and leans against the chair, he can see Jeno, Renjun and Chenle standing in a semi-circle around his desk, all three holding sincerely judging eyes. Donghyuck presses his lips together, massaging the back of his neck and sighing. “I don’t need an audience, but thanks,” he murmurs.  
  
Jeno lets out a disgruntled sound before smacking the top of Donghyuck’s head, who scowls and raises a hand to rub the spot where the hit landed. “You’re lucky we covered for you. Miss. Hall was two seconds from screaming into your ear.” Curling into himself, Donghyuck gives a sheepish expression, and Jeno’s own changes into one of concern rather than disapproval. “What’s going on with you lately?” He frets.  
  
For a fleeting moment, Donghyuck considers spilling the beans, but he quickly recoils. “Nothing. Just tired.”  
  
During lunch, Donghyuck sits next to Jaemin, who sits next to Jeno, who sits next to Mark. That’s two whole bodies separating them, but Donghyuck finds himself shifting uncomfortably in his seat regardless, pulling the hair at the back of his neck and pushing his food idly with his fork. Donghyuck is too far away from Mark to be able to hear his conversation with Renjun on his other side, and the Cafeteria is always loud and busy, so Donghyuck figures Mark wouldn’t be able to hear him if he talks, either.  
  
“Jaemin-ah,” he looks up from his tray, and Jaemin does too, offering a sweet smile. “Have you ever been in love?” Jaemin seems like a safe bet for an honest answer.  
  
“Oh, yeah,” he reveals, picking up a boiled potato and fitting it into his mouth, chewing through his words. “Plenty of times.” Donghyuck’s surprise is evident on his features. He isn’t sure about his follow-up question yet, so he ponders for a second and cuts through a potato.  
  
“How long does it take to go away?” Jaemin pauses with the fork between his teeth, blinking rapidly in search of a reply. Hesitant, he grabs the fork, shrugging his shoulders.  
  
“I don’t know if it does,” Jaemin purses his lips, leans his cheek on his palm. “You stop being in love at some point, but you keep loving that person. Does that make sense?”  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Donghyuck sees Mark laughing at something Renjun said. There’s a sigh in his heart, but he suppresses it. “Yeah. It does.”

It’s funny how easy it is for Donghyuck to behave completely normal around Mark when they’re alone, but can barely keep his composure when they’re with other people. He isn’t scared that Mark would notice him lingering on a glance by accident or laughing too hard at his jokes, but he’s scared other people would.

Lunch ends, and Donghyuck stays at the table for another minute after everyone stands up. Everyone except Mark, who remains seated far from him on the seating bench, pouting a grin in Donghyuck’s direction that forces a similar smile from Donghyuck himself. When Mark finally bends his legs and stands up, he ruffles Donghyuck’s head as he walks past him, squeezing his shoulder.  
  
When Donghyuck’s certain the coast is clear, he drops forehead first onto the table, and covers the back of his neck with his arms. His calculus class starts in five minutes, yet he can’t find the energy to get up.

 

 

Choir practice gets cancelled because Mr. Samuel has a family emergency (Renjun and Donghyuck made a bet that he needed to take his cat to the vet), so Donghyuck has to find Mark before his last class and tell him he’s going home with Jeno instead of taking the train with him today. He hopes to catch disappointment on Mark’s face when he delivers the news, but Mark does nothing but nod and smile and reassure him it’s okay.  
  
Donghyuck hates him for being so nice.

He wants him to get mad and whine that Donghyuck is bailing on him, that now he has to take the train _all by himself_ (although it’s only a ten minute commute to their stop). Donghyuck waits for Jeno by the gate while he unlocks his bicycle, taking his phone out of his pocket. He has a few texts from his mom asking him not to forget turning off the air condition when he leaves the house, another text from Chenle from an hour ago telling him about Choir getting cancelled, and a text from Mark. It’s a train emoji appearing before the word _tomorrow?._ Donghyuck texts back a fingers crossed emoji and shoves his phone back in his pocket, biting away the smile that spread across his lips.  
  
Holding the handles on his bicycle, Jeno walks toward Donghyuck. “Ready?” 

Jeno bicycles next to Donghyuck, who’s trying to keep up with him whenever he stops pedaling and slides across the lane, laughing. Donghyuck pinches his arm in retaliation, and he stops, keeping a slow pace so Donghyuck can walk normally. 

The weather is nice, the afternoon light hitting the trees and making them gleam, sunshine pouring through the leaves and onto the sidewalk. Jeno stays on the road, but Donghyuck walks on the sidewalk next to him, following his zigzag pattern on the bike. They talk about nothing, because it’s what they do best, telling stupid jokes until their laughter dies out.  
  
Now seems like the best time to ask Jeno, since they’re alone and the street is quiet and empty. Donghyuck takes a deep breath, avoiding the cracks as he takes ginger steps. “Jeno-yah, have you ever been in love?” Jeno doesn’t look up, too focused on riding his bike without hitting anything on the way.  
  
“In love?” He repeats, although Donghyuck’s certain he didn’t stutter.  
  
“In love.” Donghyuck reiterates.  
  
Jeno tilts his head to the side. “I… I dunno,” he stutters, just when a tall figure appears from behind them. Jeno greets him and the boy bows. It takes Donghyuck a moment or two to remember who he is and recognize him, but eventually identifies him as Park Jisung. He’s a sophomore, so Donghyuck doesn’t know him very well- he remembers seeing Chenle talking to him a few times during lunch. He’s not sure, but he thinks he might be Jeno’s neighbor, as well. He doesn’t ask.  
  
“Ask Jisung, he’ll have a better answer.” Jeno’s mouth curves into a smile, eyes disappearing and forming crescents. There’s a boyish, warm charm to Jeno when he smiles. Donghyuck can’t help but think that if he had fallen for Jeno, his current situation would have been entirely different.

“Ask me what?” When Jisung speaks, Donghyuck realizes he’s never heard him talk before. His voice is much deeper than he anticipated, but he isn’t at all surprised. He has more than a couple centimeters on Donghyuck, too; his senior pride takes a bit of a blow.

Jeno gets off his bicycle, turns and points the handles in Jisung’s direction and watches Jisung as he gets on the seat to ride the bike himself. “If you’ve ever been in love.” Jeno lets go of the handles once Jisung’s taken complete control of the bicycle and answers for Donghyuck, who feels his cheeks tinting a subtle shade of red at Jeno’s lack of concern of revealing their topic at hand.  
  
“I don’t think so.” Jisung responds quietly, sharp and concise. “Not yet.”

“At least you’re positive, Sungie,” Donghyuck teases and cranes his neck so he can catch his eyes through the obstacle that is Jeno. Jisung smiles sheepishly.  
  
Donghyuck’s house is their first stop, so they part ways there. Donghyuck observes the two as they go on, Jeno pushing Jisung off the bike then proceeds to help him get the bicycle pegs, and speeds down the road until they’re no longer in sight. Donghyuck huffs a laugh to himself, swinging his backpack from his shoulder to his chest to fish his keys out.

With an abundance of homework to do, Donghyuck decides to plunge into his bed and do nothing instead. As an eighteen year old, he’s exceptionally skilled at doing nothing. Only problem is, he can’t stand being alone with his own thoughts these days.  
  
They dive pretty easily into what kissing Mark would be like. If their mouths would align perfectly, or if their teeth would clash together and make a mess before they even get to the actual kissing. He usually tries to dodge these thoughts, but he’s too tired and hopeless to care today, so he allows himself to sink further and wonder the sounds Mark would produce if he got his lips on his neck.

Donghyuck spends another half hour staring at the text Mark sent him earlier, before getting up to do his schoolwork.  


-  


The following day is just the same, if not less exciting than the prior. Donghyuck tries not to fall asleep in class this time, to avoid his friends creating a spectacle out of it, and sticks to his daydreams instead. He’s always known how to pretend to be paying attention, so it isn’t a feat. What everyone must be noticing is how he doesn’t fool around, how he isn’t trying to make anyone laugh, how the teacher doesn’t need to call his name three times in five minutes.

That’s another reason why he’s surprised Mark hasn’t guessed or noticed what’s going on. Even Donghyuck himself feels strange being so quiet.  
  
Time passes so slowly when you’re waiting for something that’s never going to happen.

He waits for Renjun at the door when the lesson ends, who tells him they’re gonna go grab some chocolate milk from the cafeteria and meet the rest of the guys at the gate. They walk down the corridor squeezing the last drops of the bagged milk, kicking each other’s butts in turn.

When they’re a meter away from the gate, Donghyuck spots Jeno, Jaemin, Chenle and Mark standing in a huddle. Once Renjun and Donghyuck make all the way to join them, Jaemin says, “We’re skipping lunch. Chenle, you can’t come, you’re not a senior.”  
  
“Then why the hell did you tell me to come with you? I could be eating tacos right now.” Furrowing his eyebrows and showing Jaemin genuine scorn, Chenle turns his back to them and walks away, not forgetting to flip off the remaining five. Renjun and Mark burst into giggles, hitting each other repeatedly until one of them folds.  
  
Apparently, all five decide to spoil their lunch and go get milkshakes. There’s a diner not far from their school that has _the best_ milkshakes according to Jeno, who says this every single time they go there; the other four mock-mimic him, but Jeno just laughs. Donghyuck trails at the far back at first, skipping the cracks on the sidewalk. He doesn’t notice Mark until he’s walking next to him with only an inch between them, bringing a shy smile to Donghyuck’s lips as keeps his head down.  
  
At the corner of his eye, he catches a glimpse of Mark’s fist aimed toward him. Donghyuck doesn’t hesitate and draws out his own fist. They count in Korean together, and while Donghyuck splays his palm open, Mark’s fingers create faux-scissors, pulling an exasperated gasp out of him.    
  
Mark has the audacity to snicker at him, and Donghyuck almost lets himself think he’s heard a hint of fondness dripping at the edge of it. Their eyes meet for a split second, enough for the abrupt gaze to stir a warm feeling in Donghyuck’s chest- but just as he tucks the idea at the back of his mind, Mark leaps forward to meet the others, wrapping an arm around Jaemin’s shoulders and leaving Donghyuck behind.  
  
Jaemin gets a peach milkshake, Jeno a vanilla milkshake (they all taunt him), Renjun a banana split, and Donghyuck gets chocolate. Mark gets a Strawberry Blonde (strawberries and caramelized white chocolate). 

They settle at a booth at the very back, Renjun, Jaemin and Mark on one side, Jeno and Donghyuck on the other. Mark contributes by laughing through an anecdote from class, and Donghyuck pretends he’s not listening intently by sipping his milkshake loudly. The truth is, he pays careful attention to each word past Mark’s lips, warming up at the sound of Mark speaking in giggles.  
  
That’s what they do the whole hour they spend there. They talk, and tell stories that they haven’t shared before, and ones they’ve retold innumerable times, laughing as if it’s the first and last.

For a moment, Donghyuck feels as if nothing’s changed; but everything has. That’s why the moment only lasts a couple seconds.

The sunset starts earlier these days, so when orange-tinted light rays filter through the large window next to their booth, Donghyuck catches Mark’s dark hair glowing a brownish-red color, his eyes squeezing when the sun hits them. He floats back to the surface when Jeno elbows him, forcing him to turn his head his way. “You’re a thousand miles away.”

“Yeah,” he murmurs, rubbing his eyes. “Just remembered all the homework I have due tomorrow.” Donghyuck lies on a sigh. Jeno smiles at him, and Donghyuck has a strange feeling he might be seeing right through him; but Jeno doesn’t say anything.  
  
After spending an unreasonable time at the diner even after they’ve finished their milkshakes (everyone apart from Renjun and Donghyuck), the three that have finished theirs make their way outside. Renjun and Donghyuck remain alone in the booth, sitting at opposite sides. As if a light-bulb appears above his head, Donghyuck remembers Renjun is the last of his friends he’s yet to ask his question. He plays with the straw in the long milkshake glass, peeking at Renjun’s face a few times.  
  
Renjun catches him.  
  
“Spit it out already.” He rolls his eyes, running fingers through his hair.  
  
Donghyuck pouts. “Alright, Jeez,” he purses his lips again, nose twitching. “Have you ever been in love?” Renjun seems surprised, like that question wasn’t what he’s been expecting to hear. He looks down, sipping the last drops of milkshake before pushing the glass forward, leaning back on the leather couch.  
  
“I think so. Maybe.” Renjun laughs, and his uncertainty is comforting. Donghyuck wishes he was as hesitant and undecided about whether or not he’s in love with Mark. It would make things a lot easier to deal with if he wasn’t so sure of his emotions. Renjun starts speaking again, and Donghyuck regains focus on the conversation. “I think it’s a bit hard to explain what being in love is.”

“How would you explain it?” Donghyuck asks, curious.

Renjun looks at him like he’s regretting having said his last sentence, but soon obliges. “I guess it kinda differs, you know. If you’re in love, and you’re loved back, it’s like the world is super colorful and bright, an’ everything’s okay? But if you’re in love, and you do it alone, shit sucks.”  
  
It’s scary how eloquently Renjun manages to put it together. Donghyuck can’t find what to say- and as if in perfect timing, Jaemin pops back into the diner, peering from the door and whining. “Come on, we’ll be late for class!” 

Walking back to school, Donghyuck feels a bit lighter. He remembers spending time with his friends makes things better, not worse, and that just because his predicament is less than unfortunate, he shouldn’t be denying himself fun. Even if it hurts, even if sometimes, he feels like he could scream- his friends _do_ make it better. And he’s glad to have friends he can trust.  
  
His last two classes of the day still pass by slow as ever, mostly because he knows he’s taking the train home with Mark today.

Donghyuck can’t find him after the last lesson ends. He texts him, but he gets no reply. He searches in the cafeteria, study hall, the courtyard, but Mark’s nowhere to be found. Waddling back to their class’ corridor, he walks past a classroom before backtracking.

Peeking at the glossy window on the door, Donghyuck can see six heads. He narrows his eyes, and splays an open palm on the door to push it open. All five his friends, including Park Jisung, sitting on the desks. When they spot Donghyuck, they all have the same expression on their faces; as if they’ve seen a ghost. They probably feel bad for not inviting him to whatever this meeting might be, but Donghyuck doesn’t really care.  
  
“We’ll be late for the train.” He scolds, and Mark nods, instantly bending down to pick up his backpack from where it’s been slouched against one of the desk legs.

They say their farewells, and head out the door together in silence. Donghyuck furrows his eyebrows, but decides not to take it too seriously. Mark’s allowed to be quiet sometimes, too, he convinces himself- even if it’s creating a deafening ache in his heart.  
  
They’re both silent all the way to the train station (but Mark won’t stop fidgeting).

Mark seems to ease up once they’re sitting in the train car. He shows Donghyuck new music, offering him an earbud, boasts about his new high score on some game Donghyuck can’t remember the name of, because all he can think about is the satisfied grin on Mark’s lips. They bicker nonstop. Mark tells Donghyuck he’s holding the phone wrong when he gives it to him to try the game, and Donghyuck pushes the phone into Mark’s chest. Mark grabs it just before it’s about to fall to his lap, and continues to say _I’ll show you how you’re supposed to do it._ Donghyuck’s rampant thoughts about what’d be the easiest way to murder his best friend come to a halt when Mark’s unoccupied hand suddenly discovers Donghyuck’s thigh, nonchalantly resting on top of it, smoothing his fingernails over the denim of Donghyuck’s jeans.

He presses his lips together as a form of restraint, nodding at whatever Mark’s grumbling about, although his ears aren’t receiving any information when he can feel his fingers pinching his covered skin, cheeks stained red. Donghyuck’s glad Mark’s too focused on his phone screen to look up at Donghyuck’s face while he blabbers, because there’s no way he’d be able to even look him in the eye.  
  
Eventually, but far too long for Donghyuck’s wellbeing, Mark removes his hand from his thigh. It takes Donghyuck three seconds to miss the sensation.  
  
He still isn’t completely sober when they reach their stop, and Mark has to nudge him twice so he’d stand up. They leave the car and jump onto the platform- when Donghyuck’s about to say bye, he’s thrown off by arms hooking around his neck, tight, and a warm body pressed against his.

Mark is hugging him.  
  
He tries not to freak the _fuck_ out, because Mark’s never hugged him this firm or this close, yet he can’t help but melt, pliant arms wrapping around Mark’s waist and shivering hands finding purchase in the soft fabric of his hoodie. He doesn’t know what’s happening, or why, but Donghyuck’s never felt so content in his _entire life_ than when Mark’s fingers thread through the hairs at the back of his neck. They detach after another long moment, and Mark beams at him without a single word or clarification as to why the hug happened in the first place.  
  
When each goes his separate way, Donghyuck looks back to check if Mark’s looking back too. He isn’t. He turns back twice more, and by the second, he can’t find Mark’s figure in the crowd of people on the platform.  
  
-

Three days go by and Mark doesn’t mention the hug, so neither does Donghyuck. He dreams about it, he daydreams about it, he can’t get it off his mind for a second- but he doesn’t acknowledge it ever happened. Because Mark doesn’t.  
  
On Wednesday, his mind chants _Mark, Mark, Mark._ Same goes for Thursday, only then it’s wailing. Still, nothing happens, and since it’s been way over twenty-four hours, Donghyuck considers it a doomed discussion. The hug refuses to be brought up, and Donghyuck refuses to make a fool of himself by saying anything about it.  
  
It’s Friday. On Fridays, they have volunteer work at school for last period, and while the gang usually all sign up to work together, when Donghyuck walks into the classroom the only person there is Mark.  
  
_Come on_ , he thinks.  
  
Mark tells him everyone else bailed, and that they need to make a poster for the underclassmen’s upcoming formal. Donghyuck complains that it shouldn’t be the seniors’ job to make a poster for a formal that isn’t theirs, and Mark just laughs. He still drops his backpack on the desk nearest to him, then joins Mark on the floor, because the butcher paper they have to work with is too big for any of the desks, including the teacher’s. Countless markers of various colors are spread all over the floor next to them, glitters, stickers and stamps.  
  
Donghyuck does the writing, because he has better penmanship than Mark, but the both of them color and decorate the poster. They argue over the colors, and they laugh, they laugh so much that at one point, Mark falls backwards on the ground, and Donghyuck watches him, complacent.  
  
After about more than half an hour, there’s a lull. They don’t say anything; Donghyuck colors, and Mark decks the poster with a dozen stickers in each corner. This time, Donghyuck doesn’t mind the silence. Maybe because he has something else to keep busy with, maybe because Mark has a weirdly focused but confused expression on his face, or because they’ll be done soon, and he could go home and stay there until the next school week comes along.  
  
There’s about a meter between the two of them, at least. Mark at one edge of the paper, and Donghyuck at the other. Out of practically nowhere, Donghyuck hears Mark say his name, and he looks up at him with raised eyebrows.  
  
“Have you ever been in love?” Mark’s voice is sharp and clear and echoes throughout the whole classroom.  
  
The marker he’s been holding drops when his fingers lose their ability to grip. He stares at Mark, who stares right back at him, their gazes fixed on each other. The silence becomes unbearable, but neither of them speak. Donghyuck’s thoughts are a mess, a chaos attempting to make sense of _Mark_ asking him _his_ question. But the longer their eyes are locked, Donghyuck contemplates a glint of hope behind Mark’s pupils. Fear and excitement and shock rumbling in his stomach and pounding in his chest, his heart probably going a thousand beats per minute, it’s a wonder he’s yet to die because his emotions are acute and surging energy through his veins. Only two options seem viable: one, this is an elaborate practical joke orchestrated by his friends, or, and the one Donghyuck is longing to be true, Mark knows.  
  
It’s probably been three minutes already, since Mark chucked the bomb of a question into the air. The unbearable silence is on the verge of burdensome now, and yet their eyes remain rigid. Donghyuck’s rummaging his brain for a response, before he runs out of time, before Mark says something and it’s a missed opportunity forever- he _wants_ to say something witty, make Mark laugh or maybe snort, but his voice feels constricted in his throat.  
  
Two more minutes go by.  
  
Swallowing thickly, Donghyuck’s lips part and he finally opens his mouth to speak. He doesn’t know what’s going to come out, but he figures letting his brain decide last minute is better than trying to work out his words for the next ten. His lower lip is quivering, and just as his eyes turn the tiniest bit misty, he chokes out,  
  
“Yes.”  
  
Everything that happens next is simultaneously incredibly slow and overwhelmingly fast. Mark dashes toward him and sits on both knees, and Donghyuck can barely breathe when their lips attach in an open-mouthed, ardent kiss, that whisks Donghyuck’s breath away thoroughly. His hands reach and hold both of Mark’s cheeks, kissing back with the same amount of zeal- _Mark is a good kisser._ Donghyuck doesn’t know if he is, since he’s never kissed anyone before (until now), but he thinks he might be; because their mouths are perfectly aligned, and when it turns deeper (and without he’s even noticed, Mark’s tongue is _there),_ he hears a quiet sound slipping from the back of Mark’s throat and into the kiss. After a moment, it becomes slow and lazy, Mark’s giggles join and Donghyuck swears they taste _sweet._  
_  
_ The class has ended a while ago, but Donghyuck and Mark spend another hour laughing hysterically and making-out in intervals. Renjun’s explanation to what being in love and being loved back is comes to life in front of Donghyuck’s very eyes, every time Mark murmurs, “Donghyuck-ah,” and pecks his lips again like he can’t stop himself, adding, “you should have told me,” compelling Donghyuck to bind their mouths together for another lingering kiss.

Donghyuck finally earns his Eureka moment. But rather than deciphering when he’s fallen in love with Mark Lee, he learns that Mark Lee is in love with him too.

  
  
-  
  
_That same Tuesday_  
  
“We’re gathered here to find out why the _fuck_ Donghyuck keeps asking all of us if we’re ever been in love,” Jaemin announces after he’s gotten everyone minus the guy in question to join him in the empty classroom after school’s already ended.  
  
Mark blinks. “What are you talking about?”  
  
Renjun chimes in. “He asked Chenle first,” he points to him, “then Jaemin, and Jeno and Jisung yesterday, and me today.” Mark shoots him a look like he doesn’t believe him.  
  
“He hasn’t even said why he’s asking in the first place.” Jeno interrupts, shrugging his shoulders and playing with his shoelaces, unmistakable worry troubling his face.  
  
“Do you think it might be a secret school project, or something? For English class?” Jisung proposes, and the lot of them moan disagreements at once. The classroom reverberates with prattle as they all speak at the same time, loud and intolerable.  
  
“Guys- guys-- guys! Shut up!” Only after Mark bellows at them, their chatter dies out. “He hasn’t asked me. And I’ve seen him every day.” They’re all very quiet after Mark’s declaration. Each trying to solve a puzzle that doesn’t seem to have a solution, not when the only person who can help is Donghyuck himself.  
  
“Mark.” Jaemin utters, out of left field, and everyone’s eyes are immediately directed to him. “I think Donghyuck might be in love with you.”  
  
Mark’s about to say something when Chenle squeals, “He’s in the corridor!” and before anyone else can say a word, the door swings open and Donghyuck stands at the threshold with a disturbed expression. They all fail miserably at trying to appear innocent, and luckily they avoid inquiry because the only thing Donghyuck says is, “We’ll be late for the train.” right in Mark’s direction.  
  
Mark’s never stood up so fast.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm @dongamja on twt if u wanna talk :3


End file.
